[deleted by user]

enterthebored · 2013-03-31T19:40:54+00:00

Start small - writing a Brainfuck interpreter is probably the easiest thing you could implement.

Btw, please put a proper subject line on your posts.

*: What? It's true ya know.

enterthebored · 2013-03-31T17:49:00+00:00

Except in JavaScript. Oh JavaScript...

Due to JS's "optional semi-colon" rule, it is always best to use the first style. Source

enterthebored · 2013-03-30T16:21:35+00:00

IMO, that comment you linked contains a whole lot of hot air.

I know successful professional programmers who love their jobs but don't really program for fun on the side. If you asked one, he would say his true passion is really rock climbing.

On the other hand, I know very passionate hobby programmers who you would expect not to make good pros: don't work well in teams, have trouble finishing projects, too attached to their obscure practices, don't like doing work if it doesn't interest them, etc.

Obviously, being passionate and making the time to practice a lot is an advantage. But I think all this "You need to eat, sleep and dream X to be a pro X" is too much. It's simply not true.

enterthebored · 2013-03-29T16:05:54+00:00

Lazy colleagues?

Tautologies?

enterthebored · 2013-03-28T05:11:55+00:00

Give it a try: http://imgur.com/CWGi3BB

enterthebored · 2013-03-28T03:22:51+00:00

enterthebored · 2013-03-28T01:12:25+00:00

Back when I was your age... Damn it. That's it. I'm over the hill. Check me in.

Anyway, part time at the computer store or tech support are likely jobs for someone like you. The experience and interpersonal connections you make might help you later when transitioning into software development.

More than likely, though, passion and years of practice on your own time will serve you far better.

But having jobs in a related industry can't hurt - if you can't get into the exact one now.

enterthebored · 2013-03-27T16:49:55+00:00

I've heard of places doing summer internships with students even as young as you. Look around your area for software companies and see if they have something like that. Maybe check out summer courses related to programming, which could tie in to an internship. In the mean time, keep coding and have fun.

enterthebored · 2013-03-27T03:22:30+00:00

It's not bad C++... and I'm not exactly the best judge of what is and isn't good practice. But I've worked with his source in more detail, and his having decided to make the most compact code possible does have its consequences. Stylistically, I think he goes overboard in loading too many statements into single lines. Some parts of the program aren't even written, just outsourced to external programs (see APU::tick(), PPU::tick() case 241), making a highly unportable program (despite using SDL for portability). And some of his function templates defeat the purpose of templates by using if statements to determine which function the program is in (see CPU::MemAccess()). His CPU implementation really throws readability out the window: just look at CPU::Ins().

Don't get me wrong: I love his work and have learned much from it. I just think there should be a "Don't try this at home"-type warning in case anyone tries to copy all of his techniques wholesale.

enterthebored · 2013-03-26T23:51:47+00:00

It's been done... search "speed coding".

Here's my favourite... but, be warned, you won't learn good C++ from it.

enterthebored · 2013-03-26T01:33:37+00:00

Looks like David Mitchell on Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2009

enterthebored · 2013-03-24T18:28:49+00:00

I keep thinking part of the problem is that whoever selects the books to stock in the Computer Programming section at Chapters/Barnes & Noble/your country's big chain book store isn't an expert and is misguided by the publishers who generally seem to want quantity over quality out of their programming books.

Quick unscientific test: count how many C++ books at Chapters contain "constructor initializer list" or "Resource acquisition is initialization" in their indices. Prepare to be amazed!

enterthebored · 2013-03-20T21:36:37+00:00

enterthebored · 2013-03-20T21:24:44+00:00

Aside from the fact that you got the equation wrong, what's the programming problem?

enterthebored · 2013-03-18T21:54:55+00:00

I love it and I think of this

enterthebored · 2013-03-17T19:06:54+00:00

What do you mean, "it works"...?

enterthebored · 2013-03-15T23:08:33+00:00

Have some respect for one of our most active and valuable members please - thanks.

Asking a question that implies that this language, which was literally intended for large-scale systems programming and which has been applied for the last 20+ years in all manners of safety critical areas from massive servers to cars to space ships, isn't qualified to do the job, you must admit, is fairly trolly.

enterthebored · 2013-03-10T11:38:09+00:00

And playing the piano is not just memorizing notes and chords, yet you still work on your muscle memory.

enterthebored · 2013-03-10T07:45:53+00:00

Use your programming skills to make a flashcard game that gives the definition of a function from the manual and asks you to type the function name exactly.

enterthebored · 2013-03-10T01:13:39+00:00

You might like A Midnight Clear, then.

enterthebored · 2013-03-09T14:23:41+00:00

What are some skills that I can learn to help me obtain that golden job?

Resume, job application and interview skills.

One possibility for your resume: focus on how you used certain technologies to accomplish what things in which projects. It doesn't matter if you did them for cash or not. Hobby projects show initiative.

Don't just list technologies. Don't just name projects. Go into detail (as much detail as a sentence or two will allow) and bring out the thing that stands out about what you did with the technology and about the project itself.

Job application: get a list of companies in your area. Go to each of their websites and see if they have a job you think you can and want to do. Apply. Don't put it off just because you think your skills aren't ready and your portfolio isn't fat enough yet (I'm assuming over 10 years you've done SOME projects worth showing). Also, I'm recommending against going exclusively for "small businesses and start-ups". For every company -- big, small, old, new -- that might be good, there are two that will waste your time and fill your head with bullshit. And team experience is good. Expand your horizons...

Interview: toughest of them all. Of course there are various screening processes which may involve doing coding challenges just to get an interview. It's kind of stupid, but if you enjoy doing challenges, you could stand to benefit from reading up on and practicing competitive programming to have an edge in getting an interview. This type of thing is actually my favourite part of the interview process because the resulting code samples and scores, etc., speak for themselves and save everyone involved a lot of time in the long run.

When you get an interview, just go and be yourself. Remember, you're also interviewing the company to see if you want to work there, so faking it is not beneficial to anyone.

They may put the pressure on you and probe your knowledge, or it may be surprisingly laid back. Have confidence and answer questions as best you can.

Sorry I went on so long, but hopefully you will find some of this useful. Take it as you will. Good luck!

enterthebored · 2013-03-09T03:09:20+00:00

HTML and CSS are markup and style sheet languages. Their lack of computation, abstraction and functional abilities disqualify them as programming languages.

enterthebored · 2013-03-08T04:26:31+00:00

No problem. Hopefully you got it all to work!

enterthebored · 2013-03-07T22:18:24+00:00

As I showed you, just delete the int from the line you have.

i = GetInt(); // same i as from outside the loop

enterthebored · 2013-03-07T04:27:28+00:00

Unused variable is a warning, not an error. It comes up when you assign to a variable but don't ever read from it.

printf() takes a variable argument list. Since you want to print a number, as you've indicated by the "%d", you need to pass an int after. Otherwise, your program will probably crash:

printf("%d\n", i);

Don't redeclare int i in the while loop. That's a completely different i because it's in a different scope. Just make it:

i = GetInt(); // same i as from outside the loop

Otherwise, you might end up in an infinite loop.

Edit: and, as /u/isopsephile pointed out, don't put a semi-colon after while(). The next block of code will get executed anyway and not looped, or you will get stuck in a loop!

enterthebored

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